The present invention relates generally to the production of petroleum products from subterranean wells. The present invention more particularly relates to the assembly of downhole equipment before deployment into a subterranean well.
A wide variety of downhole equipment is used to assist in the recovery of petroleum fluids from subterranean reservoirs. The term xe2x80x9cdownhole equipmentxe2x80x9d refers generally to equipment that is deployed and used in a subterranean well. Electrical submersible pumps, fishing tools and monitoring devices are common examples of downhole equipment. In some instances, a number of separate downhole components are connected as a xe2x80x9cwell stringxe2x80x9d and lowered into the well as a single unit.
The traditional well string assembly process is well known within the industry. During a conventional assembly process, the well string, which may consist of pump sections, motor sections, seals and other associated components, must be placed into the well section-by-section. Before a connection can be made, each section must be precisely positioned relative to its mating section.
During assembly, the sections of the well string are vertically suspended through attachment to a crane or derrick. Because each section may be more than thirty feet in length, one section is usually partially lowered into the well before the adjacent section can be attached. After the adjacent section is raised into a position above the lower section, large wrenches are used to rotate the sections into proper alignment. Once properly aligned, the new section is lowered onto the bottom section. In many cases, the adjacent sections are connected through use of abutting flanges and fasteners.
The existing method of assembling a well string is tedious and time consuming. The lateral, rotational and vertical position of the adjacent sections are difficult to control during the assembly process. Such operations are dangerous to the operators and the expensive downhole equipment.
In light of the shortcomings of the existing art, there is a need for an improved apparatus and method for positioning downhole components as they are assembled before deployment. It is to these and other deficiencies in the prior art that the present invention is directed.
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for positioning a section of a well string. The apparatus includes a base plate and a turntable supported by the base plate. The turntable is preferably configured to rotate with respect to the base plate. At least one jack assembly is supported by the turntable and connects to a load collar, which is configured to support the section of the well string. The rotational position of the section of the well string can be adjusted by rotating the turntable. The vertical position of the section of the well string can be adjusted by raising or lowering the jack assembly.
These and other features and advantages which characterize the present invention will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings.